New Year Eve Birthday

Child with a temperature so we were up most of the night. She hit 39 degrees so we went through the list of things to do. Finally it broke and she is feeling better, We were nearly off to a walk in centre but thankfully. Fit enough today for a walk to a castle and a waterfall in the Ochill Hills.

We are visiting my sister for New year and my birthday. I hit the big 40 today. Sister liveth in the land of Scots in Clackmannanshire. The wee town is very picturesque and nestles at the foot of the Ochil Hills.

Pah 40! Its just a number. Had a curry last night in Alloa. We all went out and I used the evil CC to pay for it, Not loads but it happens rarely that I am in a position to do so. Will be paid off in full.

My birthday meal this evening is on the sister and BIL. We are celebrating their anniversary (28th December) as well as my Bday.

Weeny will have cousin time.

Apparently we have champagne, panettone and a  birthday cake.

We are heading out tomorrow to bag some hills before a huge sunday dinner.Weeny will be staying in.

The pootle to the castle and the waterfall was gentle. I believe in fresh air and kids bounce back to being energised so quickly.

Enjoy your Hogmanay! I maybe drunk or at least a wee bit tiddly fnar fnar 

Sales hell !

Forgot to mention our horrid cinema trip where by we did n't see The Hobbit. After an hours wait in an imax 3d cinema screen at The Metro Centre- huge shopping centre we eere imformed of a technical glitch that became a fault and film was cancelled.

We had travelled 35 miles. One way  35 mile journey to my definition of torturous hell. Shopping mall on Boxing day teeming with Sales zombies.....

I am mentally scared. We were refunded and given free tickets. Weeny was with the 'others'
All ready had the treat costa coffee and comitted petrol money for a 70 mile round trip. These are the expenses we are out of pocket for negating any savings from complimentary tickets. Also we always book seats in advance as we like decent seats and like to guarantee we will get in given the long journey. Will try again w/e 5th Jan.

The place was horrible and souless and the frenzied spending just one day after xmas made my nose wrinkle.

Death by pavlova....Nah lifes a beach!

I have made three pavlovas since xmas eve. We have half of one left to finish tomorrow. I also have hazelnut tiffen in the freezer and s lime cheese cake to make.

We never did get round to biscuits but we will for Valentines day.

mixed berry pav
peach kiwi and raspberry pav
kiwi and red grape and rasp and peach.

Yes thats four combinations. Topping wise I split a large one in half. Its so simple now I have my fantastic mini oven. I love it.


So to avoid becoming pavlova bound, Weeny and I headed to the beach.

White wine in the Sun...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNvZqpa-7Q

Tim Minchen on Christmas - I love it.

Resolutions and 2013

1. Get fit - I am very unfit
2. Complete at least one additional short qualification. I am thinking Pttls at work.
3. Meal plan - and budget the weekly shop more efficiently.  I can reduce this with good planning I feel. Also I hate waste and have noticed some creeping in!

This is it really.  Three nice and simple things I hope lol


Again I have left out the garden as long term plans are not set in stone and to garden is to plan for tomorrow.

In general I shall continue with the getting by and juggling and penny  pinching in order to get by and live as well as I can without debt. No frugal end goals just life or something like it!

Although its Christmas and the silly season I have a new Ebay and car boot stash coming along nicely already. Some nice kids frocks, toys for a boot sale and such. I also have a charity pile too. The money will be put towards next years celebrations and Weeny's birthday. I have £3 in vouchers from surveys stashed also.


Freecycle look outs
photo frames
rugs
garden table
DVD player
suitable toys for a to be 6yr old- xmas and birthday. To be saved. The Bratz cache was an excellent find!
washing up basin
laundry basket
curtains- always useful
bamboo blinds or other windo covering for the kitchen
sewing machine - working
oil filled radiator - nice to have two so I don't have to move one around the house.


Big things that may go bang!
My fridge is getting old so we shall have to wait and see how long it holds out. I will invest in a new one as its an essential and I like a big freezer and equal sized or smaller fridge. I also have a limited space in a small kitchen.

The bedroom telly is ancient but working so far and another ancient big chunky telly will suffice. Freecycle fine and I can do without quite happily. Biggles will always lend me his as well but I prefer not to chance braking his gadgets as he loves them so..... (rolls eyes)

Lap top - my one is very disabled physically. The screen is comming apart and two of the funtion keys are missing. It works so far though and I get to use a PC at work so will replace in time when it goes to techie heaven. Who knows how long it will last!!

The car will require a service, MOT and also new wiper blade motor. Tyres seem ok at the moment but I do put 10K+ on the car per year.


My credit card debt will be up in January I think.. or maybe feb! Thats another £50 to put towards repaying Biggles and then family. I have no interest accruing debts however. This is a satisfying thing!
 

Gas n leccy part 2

Well the metre reading when I finally got round to in ( 28th of December 20 days late) actually reduced my DD to £38 per month. Yipee! The frugal heating plan is working.

This has included having goodd heating ie having it on over Christmas and when we have all been in and also the use of other items as we have been homebased for several days, cooking etc etc

The mini oven is a dream. Quick and efficient.

I will keep the DD at £50 per month untill the spring reading and see if I can reduce or not.

I also have credit on my account which is good.

 

Next year's xmas

What I will do

• start earlier making cards and gift tags with the weeny
• make pine cone decorations with weeny
• if I acquire a sewing machine this year via freecycle i will make xmas bunting from scraps. its very pretty
• make fewer vegs on xmas day
• buy a supermarket free range chicken- butchers too big and expensive and we don't do turkey
• do not buy any sweets or choc for weeny bar a selection box. She gets so many as it is.
• ask Biggles for a list
• limit Biggles to a set amount of money he can spend.
• make a door wreath and other indoor items from woodland detritus. Never got the chance this year
• force Biggles to give me a list of what he would like
• take weeny to evening mass. I have issue at present with RC and others due to having many gay friends and cannot bear to listen to sermons on topic of gay marriage.
• make individual pavlovas as we are greedy buggers

What I will do the same:

• record all programmes and films Weeny will love. This has been ace as the tv is pants and weather rubbish
• buy crafty doing presents and a game for weeny. Been nice doing arty things with her.
• Re- gift. Controversial to some but useful. I have two boxes of posh chocs lined up for birthdays, one smellies set, one scarf, one stamp set - weeny got two. As well as two bags -peppa pig and dora the explora, a felt scene toy, art activity and barbie doll.
• Buy booze for people. Always appreciated if they are drinkers
• Save all ribbons and cars for next years card and tag making.

What has annoyed me this xmas:
Not a lot at all!  Apart from the general OTT, lets forget the true meaning of the season etc etc Though weenys other family insist on buying large expensive slushy cards and always buy a new super large gift bag every year. It is invariably broken and can ony be thrown in teh recycling bin. Buy a bloody re useable santa sack. They have 4/5 grand kids so imagine the waste and the easte of money! I feel this is a waste of money and poor show for the environment but its their cash and they are idiots.  Also small kids sending christmas cards tpo each other - Rip off! Why parents indulge this I do not know!

I have to do christmas but will one day get my dog and cottage in the lakes, /holiday to cambodia and vietnam, Australia when the dual nationality sibling returns... this is how I woudl really like to spend Christmas.... avoid it lol but the Santa years are few and far between and to not indulge her would be very cruel me thinks.

Decorations are down!

They have been up for 27 days. All down bar the fairy lights which give a little sparkle to welcome in the new year and banish the gloom. We are still feasting however and enjoying family time. Bike ride today. Swimming and book bartering tomorrow. Weather is unpredictable for beach combing but maybe Saturday
We head off to Clackmannanshire on Sunday till the 2nd. I will be walking the Ochil Hills weather permitting on the 31st which is also my big poohey birthday. FORTY.
But we are looking forward to seeing family and feasting some more.
All of my furniture is gifted of freecycled. This is just how it turned out.

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Part two : Christmas slippers, boots and a pink tutu, a cache of dolls, boxing day outfit and a cat

Christmas day to Boxing day in pictures...part one

Lovelies

food for Santa

Christmas Jamas

Star fished in a king size bed

Santas been!

Morning Mayhem

Boozy gifts!

Dinner table and Pavlova

 Ilovely

Merry Christmas!

Finally home and prepped in about three hours. Well 3hrs just for food. Spent time with W & BB and survived an exploding chestnut. unpacked all sorted. Pressies laid out.

I can relax..... W hyper. B also excited. Hee hee me too. Alot of the grinchy ness has buggered off but this is Weeny girls fault lol There are a finite number of Santa years....

Home is a great place to be.

Merry Xmas to everyone however you choose spend it.

Much to do and itching to be on my way home. I want Weeny snuggled up in her own home watching The Grinch and baking biscuits not having to be worried about making a mess or too much noise.

Mummy needs to:
make soup
bake bread
make merangue
peel veg
prep stuffing and pigs in blankets
stuff the bird and gammon joint
roast chestnuts
bit of unpacking and general tidying
bath and ablutions for us both
leave out santa treats

set the scene.

Nice though it has been I want to leave now.

Lord that sounds ungrateful but I like to get organised. Waiting on the last visitor to arrive then we can be on our way.

What we will be up to over the entire hols !

Currently seeing Yorkshire family.
Xmas at home
The Hobbit on Boxing Day. Weeny has her requested five and a half hour visit with the others. Their choice.
Beach combing for smooth pebbles and subsequent crafting.
Bike ride for Biggles!
Visit to see my Mum in her care home in Ayr.
Hill Walking Ochil hills in Clackmannanshire
New year birthday celebrations with sister and family.
Maybe an additional cinema trip with Weeny. Hobbit is a bit long.

I still need to book Weenys fifth birthday and take the bloody meter reading lol

I probably won't get the time so.....

We are visiting The peoples Republic of South Yorkshire. Nice easy weekend before traveling back xmas eve where upon we will have loads to do. We are all done bar some fresh food. Merry ones to you all. xxxx

Gas n Leccy????

Now the buggers are upping their prices again I feel the need to work on a strategy to give them as little as I can!

Profiteering bastards!

I now have a mini oven. it is very quick to cook stuff in and is ace. This is cheaper than using the gas oven I think. Am I right in thinking this??

I only put the heating on at weekends when we are all in and only for short periods to warm up other wise we heat a room with an oil filled radiator. The temp on the central heating is not high. The temp is high on the oil filled radiator however  I have had the heating on for day times on only four occasions this season.

I have a combi boiled - Rented House so no chance of getting a new one.

We bath once a day. Share a bath.

I wash up when I need to.

I wash when we have a full load.

I turn off lights when I am not using them. I never use a hair dryer or other heating implement for the styling of hair( ok only on special going out occasions and there are few of them lol)

I turn off at the mains all that I can.

I need to take a meter reading this pm so will update when I get the bad news. My £50 a month may be rising.

Any other frugal tips?

I shut doors and have a draft excluder, I double curtain and have lined heavy curtains up all the time.

The lounge has a bloody staircase in it. This makes the living room hard to heat as heat rises. We do get the benefit of the oil filled radiator upstairs a wee bit though.

back with a vengeance Rahhhh!

Hello roller coaster going up again lol

Anyhoo - looking at postings ( Biggles not me lol) Won't be long before the London malarky is finished. Well the best part of a year to do but we are planning.

We are off to look at the twinkly lights on Friday in the big smoke.

I have only had the heating on three times so far and am getting by with the oils filled radiator in one room heating it when needed and using jumpers at other times. We survive ok. I see the bastards are hiking prices again! This is what comes of privatisation eh!

I am finished with Christmas.  Ha wish I could be permanently for ever  but have a few more years of it lol.  Bar food shopping I am wrapped and cards sent and such like.  Enough! Only food to purchase on the 24th . We are in Sheffield that weekend so needs must lol.  I hate shopping onthe 24th December. We are then travelling home on same day. Might not make the christmas pavlova depending on time or the fajitas but plans need to be flexible and sometimes family comes first. We need to see the extended Biggles family.


 Busy at work, busy at home. I am really missing Biggles who also has a bad back at the moment. Weeny had her nativity. It was lovely apart from the fact she never got on stage. She wanted to come over for a cuddle with me prior to the performance but  the teacher didn't let her. She got upset so the teacher made her sit at her feet. Weeny then refused to participate in any star like activities. She was a star- well supposed to be a star and sing a star song along with al the other little stars.

She has a stubborn streak.........  its genetic. I think I was more miffed than she was. She said sorry mummy. She wasn't afraid or anything just stubborn. The teacher wouldn't let her go so Weeny decided she would go on strike.

The functional father Sperm Donor is still a prat.  Functional father! barely functioning father. He has so far never asked for a school picture, invite to the nativity, shown any  interest in school, her swimming lessons or anything. It is a shame for small one. He will not see her till Boxing day now. His choice is fine by me. if ony he could chose to drop off the face of the earth........ I hear it is expensive to arrnage for this to occur....... shame.

Just a quick drop in as I need to be off home.

Stay well and thanks for reading and replying lovely ladies.


XXXX

Some things would just be so right.....but life doesnt always give you the good bits no matter how hard you try or how much a person may deserve it. 

Vomiting Veronica....

Yes we have been slapped by the Vomiting Virus! Weeny girl to be precise. Adults have constitutions like oxes and so have avoided it. A weekend spent cuddling on a sofa has put the xmas plans back and canceled a few- Our woodland walk for detritus for our door wreath. We had a window and it was filled with sickines!

Next few weekends are taken up with visiting- the others ( weeny girl), London and Sheffield. Then its Christmas so no wreath this year. Will post some snaps of last two years efforts.

We are otherwise on target with all other xmas things. Baking will have to be frozen this year. Baked then frozen am afraid. We are travelling back form Sheffield on Xmas eve so no time other than this Sunday to bake and freeze.

This weekend all those xmas type things get made or not at all.

Biscuits, tray bakes, fairy cakes - Xmas eve is for chilling out eating fajitas and having a bath with some veg prep... I spose I could do baking furiously.... maybe....or could just leave it till after before we go a visiting yet again.

Other than that am crabby natured at the moment. PMT. Miffed with skintness - my general state of affairs. It will pass. It does. Then returns......... fooofibollocksyness.

Still can't work out how to rid myself of blogs. I want to stop following some dead in the water blogs of the type not updated in over a year. Any ideas?

I don't have a nice green door anymore.